Thrashing-machine



5 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

W. H. BUTTERWORTH & J. BUTTERWORTH, Jr.

THRASHING MACHINE.

No. 379,762. PatentedMar. 2.0 1888.

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(No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 2.

W. H. BUTTER-WORTH 8c J. BUTTERWORTH,-JI.

TH'RASHING MACHINE.

No. 379,762. Patented Mar. 20, 1888.

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N. PETERS, PMo-Lxhognpbcr, Washingww. D, C.

Patented Mar. 20

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3/ Mr uZZo rney 6 K/ /vw/wZm/L N. PETERS. PhnlD-Lilhogmp'lmf. Washmgton.D. C,

(No Model.) I 5 Sheets-Sheet 4.

W. H. BUTTERWORTH & J. BUTT ERWORTH, Jr. THRASHING MACHINE.

N0. 379,762 P "e H 20,1888.

(No Model.) 5 sheets -sheet 5.

W. H. BUTTERWORTH 8; J. BUTTERWORTH, Jr;

THRASHING MACHINE.

No. 379,762. PatentedMar. 20,1888.

UN TE TATES ATENT FFIcE.

WILLIAM H. BUTTERNVORTH AND JOHN BUTTERVVORTH, JR, OF TRENTON, NEWJERSEY.

TH RASHlNG-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 379,762, dated March20, 1888.

(No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, \VILLIAM H. BUTTER- WORTH and Jenn Bn'rrnawon'rn, Jr., both citizens of the United States, residing at Trenton, Mercercounty, New Jersey, have in vented certain Improvements in Thrashing-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to that class of thrash 1o ing-machines known aslong-straw thrashers, in which the straw lies crosswise of the machinein its passage through the same and is not broken by the action of thethrashingcylinder and concave bars, our invention comprising certaindetails in the construction of a machine of this class, as fully setforth and claimed hereinafter.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a longitudinal section, partlyin elevation, of

athrashing-machineofthe character described with our improvements. Fig.1 is a side view of the machine; Fig. 2, a transverse section of themachine on the line 1 2, Fig. i, Fig. 3, a sectional plan of part of themachine on the line 3 4, Fig. 1; Fig. 4., a perspective view of one ofthe sections of the grainscparator and strawcarrier'of the machine; Fig.5, a perspective view showing the opposite concave banholding plates,the feed-aprons, the rod for carrying the latter, and the springs forsupporting them; Fig. (3, a longitudinal section of part of the machineon a larger scale than Fig. 1, showing the relation of the feed-apronsto the concave bars; and Fig. 7, a transverse section on the line 5 6,Fig. 1.

It may be well to state at the outset that in machines of the class towhich our invention relates the cylinder and concave bars are providedwith corrugated metal plates or otherwise so constructed as to dislodgethe grain by a rubbing action. the object being to avoid the breaking orother mutilation of the straw, which on account of its length andsoundness commands a good price. The straw is fed into the machine in adirection crosswise of the latter, and after passing the cylinder andconcave bars is carried rearward and delivered onto a binding-table orto an automatic binding-machine, to be tied into bundles. In machines ofthis class it is necessary that the thrashing-cylinder and concave barsand that portion of the machine containing the strawcarrier andgrain-separator shall be wider than the length of the straw, while thefan, cleaning-shoe, and cleaning-sieves need only be as wide as those ofan ordinary wheat-thrashing machine. The machine has therefore what ispractically a double frame, the upper frame,

A, being of proper width to carry the cylinder B, concave bars B, andstraw-carrying and grain'separating frames D, while the lower portion,F, is contracted in width to the extent permitted by the contractedlateral dimensions of the fan-easing, cleaning-shoe, and sieves, asshown in Fig. 2.

The machine is provided with running-gear the gage of which is nogreater than that of common farm vehicles, so that the machine can bereadily transported on ordinary country roads or lanes. The concave barsB of the machine are carried by opposite plates, G, which have slottedlugs a secured by suitable bolts, a, to the upper frame, A, ofthe'machine, these plates being adjustable vertically, so that thedistance between the cylinder and concave 7 bars can be varied, asdesired. The ends of the concave bars B pass through and beyond openingsB in the plates G, the projecting ends of the bars being supported byelastic blocks B interposed between the bars and the heads of bolts hungto projecting studs B on the plates. By detaching the fastenings eitherof the concave bars can be readily withdrawn laterally through theopening in the supporting-plate without disturbing the cylinder or otherparts of the machine. The concave bars are generally adjusted nearer tothe cylinder at one end than at the other, depending upon the directionin which the straw is laid, the concave bars being closer to thecylinder at the point where the grain-heads pass than at the oppositeend. This adjustment is effected by a proper raising or lowering of oneof the carrying-plates G.

Aprons I), hung to a transverse rod, d, serve 5 to facilitate thefeeding of the straw by directing the same to the space between theconcave bars and cylinder, these aprons being acted upon by springstending to elevate them, but the inner ends of the aprons being free toyield to an extent permitted by the concave bars when hard foreignmatters are fed into the machine with the straw.

In order that the adjustment of the aprons shall correspond with theadjustment of the concave bars and be effected simultaneously therewith,we secure the opposite ends of the rod cl to the armsf, projecting fromthe opposite carrying-plates G, so that the elevation or depression ofeither of said plates will effect a corresponding elevation ordepression of the adjacent end of the rod d.

Each of thesprings for acting on the aprons 1) consists of coils e e andprojecting arms 0, a loop, e connecting the coils and passing over acollar, g. This collar has a set-screw, g, which engages with the loop6, the collar being free to be turned on the rod d, so asto depress theloop 6 and permit any desired degree of tension to be imparted to thespring, the set'screw being tightened after adjustment, so as to holdthe collar in place. Each collar 9 fits between lugs h on the under sideof the apron and serves to insure the proper lateral retention of saidapron. After the straw has been subjected to the action ofthethrashing-cylinder and concave bars, it is delivered onto thestraw-carrying and grain separating and scraping frames D, each ofwhich, as shown in Fig. 4,consists of opposite side bars, i, aperforated top plate, k, and transverse bottom bars, m, each frame beinghung to an elbow-lever, n, at the upper end, and having at or near thelower end a box, 1), which is adapted to a crank, s, on a shaft, J,thelatter being free to turn in bearings on the upper frame, A, of themachine and in a central bearing, 25, on the inclined grain-bottom K.

The cranks s are oppositely directedthat is to say, in a six-framemachine (such as that shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings) the first, third,and fifth cranks will be up, while the second, fourth, and sixth cranksare down, the consequence being that as one set of cranks rises andmoves backward the other set drops and moves forward, aconstantly-retreating movement or rearward thrust being thereby impartedto the straw,which is caught by the toothed upper edges of the sidebars, i, of the frames,'and by pins 2", projecting above said toothededges, so that the straw is fed rapidly rearward and subjected to athorough agitation in order to separate the grain therefrom.

While the use of alternately acting strawcarriers which impart aforcible thrust to the straw is the best for effecting athorough shakingof the straw and the complete separation of the grain therefrom, thetendency which this action has to throw the straw askew must becorrected before the straw is delivered onto the table of thebinding-machine m, or onto a table on which the straw is bound by handwhen the self-acting machine is not used. We therefore place at theupper or delivery end of the machine a hood, M, against which the strawis thrown by the reciprocating frames of the carrier, and by which thestraw is leveled up before it drops onto the binding-table.

We prefer to use an automatic binder and to extend the frame Fof themachine so as to afford a convenient means of supporting said 7 throughthe perforated plates or platforms k of the straw-carrying frames D ontothe inclined grain-bottom K, down which it is fed by the scraping actionof the transverse bars m, carried bysaid frames D, the bars of the frameon one side of the central longitudinal line of the machine beingpreferably inclined in one direction and those of the frames. on theopposite side of said line being inclined in the opposite direction, asshown in Fig. 3, so that the tendency of the bars is to scrape the graintoward the center of theinclined grainbottom K, from which it isdelivered through the inclined hopper N onto the feed table or apron Nof the cleaner, the grain passing from said table onto the sieves P, andthe cleaned grain being discharged directly to the spout Q, while thetailings pass onto the platform P, which directs them to thetailingspout R, the

latter delivering the tailings to an elevator, R,

whereby they are lifted and again deposited upon the upper sieve orscreen, P, the tailings being thus subjected to the continuous action ofthe sieves until all the grain has been Separated therefrom, and theyare reduced to such condition as to be discharged from the cleaner bythe blast of the fan. By delivering the tailings onto the upper cleaningsieve, P, we are enabled to keep the elevator-spout within the limits ofthe contracted portion of the machine, and thus do not unduly increasethe width of the same.

It will be seen on reference to Figs. 1 and 4 that the lower edges ofthe side bars, t, of the straw-carriers are curved, so that thescrapingface of each carrier, due to the transverse bars m, presents alongitudinal curve, and when roof above the cylinder and forward end ofthe straw-carrier is fiat, so as to form a platform for the attendant,who receives the bundles of straw from the stack, removes the bandstherefrom, and hands them to the feeder, who stands in front of themachine.

The adjacent side bars of the central pair of carrying-frames D areoffset for the reception of the central bearing, 25, of the crank-shaftJ, and the latter is made in the form of a wedge with its point at therear, so that it offers no material obstruction to the forward flow ofgrain down the inclined grain-bottom K.

When an automatic binder is used, it is essential that it shall be somedistance abovethe ground, in order to insure the necessary clearance forthe discharge of the bound bundle;

hence the rear or discharge end of the strawcarrier must be at aconsiderable elevation. The cylinder and feed-aprons of the machine,however, should be as low as possible, in order to facilitate thehanding of bundles of grain from the ground to the attendant who isfeeding the machine. These results are attained in our machine by reasonofthe inclination of thestraw-carrier.

We secure the hopperN to the casing of the cleaning-shoe. so that itpartakes of the shaking motion of the latter, this motion beingimpartedfrom cranks or eccentrics 1 of the fanshaft acting on connectingrods 2,and the casing of the shoe being guided in the fixed frame and hungthereto by means of links 3, so as to permit the shaking movement. (SeeFig. 1.)

It will be observed that the cleaning devices are located at the frontend of the machine, and that a space of considerable length intervenesbetween the same and the binder at the rear end of the machine. By thismeans the chaff discharged from the cleaner is not projected onto thebound bundles of clean straw delivered by the binder, butfalls to theground before reaching said bundles. The hood M being closed at the top,the escape of straw and dust at this point is prevented, and said strawis compelled to pass downward to the bi nder.

It will be observed that the withdrawal of either of the concave barsand the replacing of said concave bar can be effected without disturbingthe general position of the concave bars in respect to the cylinder, dueto the adjustment of the plates G.

WVe claim as our invention 1. The combination of the cylinder andconcave bars of the machine. the feed-aprons, and the pivot-rodtherefor, with concave carryingplates having arms or projections whichsup port said rod, all substantially as specified.

2. The combination of the cylinder and eoncave bars of the machine, andfeedaprons having lugs on their under sides, with the rod to which saidaprons are pivoted, said rod having collars which engage with the lugsof the aprons, whereby lateral displacement of the latter is prevented,all substantially as specified.

3. The combination of the cylinder and concave bars of the machine, thefeed-aprons, and the pivot-rod therefor, with the springs acting on saidfeed-aprons, and adjustable collars having set-screws forming bearingsfor said springs, all substantially as specified.

4. The combination, in athrashing-machine, of the cylinder, a series ofconcave bars located side by side, opposite plates secured to the sideframes of the machine, means for supporting the concave bars on saidplates, and means for adjusting the plates so as to move the barscarried thereby from and toward the cylinder, said supporting-plateshaving such opening or openings that the lateral insertion andwithdrawal of the concave bars are permitted, all substantially asspecified.

5. The combination of a grain-separating straw-carrier, anoperating-crank, and hangers for said carrier, as described, whereby oneend of the carrier has a circular movement and the other arising-and-falling and longitudinal movement, bars connected to theunder side of the carrier and forming a grain-scraping surface thereon,and a grain-bottom forming a surface along which the grain is scraped,one of said surfaces being curved longitudinally, all substantially asspecified.

6. The combination of the binder-table at the rear of the machine, astraw-carrier consisting of a series of toothed straw-supporting frames,means for reciprocating said frames in series, so that the series actalternately to carry the straw rearward, and a hood against which thestraw is projected by the reciprocating frames and by which itisstraightened prior to delivery to the binder-table, said hood beingclosed at the top, all substantially as specified.

7. The combination, in a long straw thrasher, of the upper wide frame,the thrashing devices and straw-carrier contained therein, the lowercontracted frame, the grain-cleaning devices therein, and an elevatorextending from the tailing-spout to the upper sieve of the cleaner andlocated outside of the contracted lower frame, but within thelaterallimits of the upper wide frame, all substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specification inthe presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WVILLIAM H. BUTTERWVORTH. JOHN BUTTERW'ORTH, JR. Witnesses:

E. T. DIGNAN, J. W. DIGNAN.

